AMBITION: INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES AND QUESTIONS WHY IS AMBITION IMPORTANT? According to academics, ambition is mostly about striving for status and achievements. NONO “It’s not just about working hard or not working hard, it’s about achieving things and the TION TTION T status that goes with reaching those goals” says John Kammeyer-Mueller, an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Ambition does not have to mean that a candidate has one big, huge goal. In fact, ALENT AALENT A as a company it might be easier to satisfy candidates who show determined pursuit of short term, smaller goals. There is no right or wrong in this context, but founders should SS ensure that the type of ambition (big and rare or small and plenty) candidates have, match SESSES how their business operates and the capacity the company’s leaders have to attend to employees’ goals. SMENTSMENT Where do you see yourself 5 An answer that indicates that the candidate is going to be years from now? somewhere else might be ok. Don’t dismiss them because of this. Your company is growing rapidly and they might be left behind and that is fine. However, if you are hiring someone you are going to need for a long time (or you are hiring someone for their potential) then you should assume they should want to stay. What are your goals for Are they mainly personal or professional? One of these will the future (personal and/or be outside your control so make sure that there is at least professional)? a balance. Here you can gauge whether they are a person driven by one big goal or many small ones. How did you form and Is it possible to inspire them? Are they susceptible to great define your ambition(s)? leadership or does it all come from within. As a startup founder you might not have time to be an inspiring and personal leader to everyone, so self-motivators and people who formulate their ambitions internally will be crucial. 8787